M-DCPS Provides Support to Students and Families During School Closures

M-DCPS Provides Support
to Students and Families During School Closures

Miami-Dade
County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is continuing its efforts to provide support to
students and their families during school closures, which begin tomorrow, March
16. From distance learning, to community feedings, to facilitating childcare
for essential medical personnel, M-DCPS stands firm in its commitment to
support the South Florida community during this time of uncertainty.

“For
weeks, we have been hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst,” said
Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho. “We have taken the necessary steps
to provide our students with continuity of education and ensure that they do
not go hungry. However, as with any challenging situation, we must all
recognize that there will be bumps along the road. We ask parents and community
members to exercise patience as we navigate through these uncharted waters.”

Digital
Connectivity Efforts

Since Friday
morning, M-DCPS has distributed more than 42,000 mobile
devices to students who did not have them to ensure that students across the district
will have continuity of learning from home.

Beginning
Monday, Comcast is offering free WiFi via Xfinity hotspots where Xfinity
service is available for 60 days. This is in addition to the Internet
Essentials Program, normally $9.95 per month, that will provide an in-home
modem and 60 days of free service for eligible low-income M-DCPS families.
Participation in this program is strongly recommended for those in need. More information
about the free internet service can be found at http://distancelearning.dadeschools.net/. Access
to free WiFi connections via hotspots should be limited to educational use or
other essential health and safety functions. Comcast has also agreed to provide
flexibility on late fees and payment options. Those struggling to pay for
internet service should contact 1-800-Comcast.

Distance
Learning Framework

Since concern
over coronavirus began, M-DCPS began preparing its comprehensive Instructional Continuity
Plan (ICP) and shared it with teachers, students and parents. This information may
be found at http://icp.dadeschools.net/.As part of the established plan, the District has also adapted
content to be accessible for students with special needs. Students can access
their applications via the Student Portal.

The expectation is that students will continue to
progress in their learning during the closure of schools under the consultation
and guidance of their teachers and the collaboration of parents/guardians. Students were
sent home with a School Closure Student Checklist on Friday, which also
includes teachers’ ICPs. If they did not receive the checklist, parents/guardians
should contact their child’s school. The M-DCPS ICP
is cloud-based. Students do not need a M-DCPS-issued device if they have access
to a computer or mobile device at home.

On Monday, the
District will be hosting a webinar for teachers to provide additional
professional development regarding the ICP and Microsoft Teams to support
distance learning.

A support
hotline has been established for teachers, students and parents/guardians
seeking assistance with distance learning. The number for the hotline is
305-995-HELP. It will be in operation from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. this week.

Meal Distribution for
Students

Food
insecurity is a serious concern in our community. M-DCPS provides free breakfast for all
students and free or reduced-price lunch to more than 73 percent of students. With
the support of local community partners, M-DCPS is ready to implement a
community feeding plan to provide meals for ALL students.

Schools
will provide hot grab-and-go meals for both breakfast and lunch between 9 a.m.
and 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday of next week. These meals will be prepared
by M-DCPS food service personnel. Students can report to their enrolled school
or their neighborhood school to collect the meals. Meal distribution will take
place in an area along the external perimeter of the building.

Sanitization
Efforts

M-DCPS
will continually provide a deep sanitization of schools. Beginning on Monday at
6 a.m., teams consisting of regional custodians, supervised by master
custodians, will begin visiting all schools conducting thorough cleanings. Nine
teams, consisting of 20 to 30 custodians each (a total of 180 custodians), will
be going to schools using hospital-grade germicides to clean floors, classrooms,
restrooms, cafeterias, gyms, all common areas and contact points; wiping and
mopping down surfaces and fogging where needed. Maintenance personnel will also
address air quality control by cleaning
air conditioning filters and coils. The crews will be following contagious
disease protocols which include personal protective gear and washing everything
they use.

Schools Police SupportThe Miami-Dade
Schools Police Department (M-DSPD) will patrol school sites throughout the week.
Officers will be assisting at food distribution centers, answering calls for
service at all district sites and providing round-the-clock coverage at the
Police Command Center. The M-DSPD will also assist local municipalities and
Miami-Dade County with any incidents involving juveniles and continue to collaborate
with local, state and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland
Security, to monitor social media activity.

M-DCPS Employee Information

The
following M-DCPS employee groups will continue to provide essential services:all school and District administrators (Managerial Exempt Personnel) and
select administrative supportpersonnel; limited safety and
security personnel; and select food service, sanitization and maintenance
teams. Employees in these
groups who are required to report to work will be contacted by their worksite
administrators.

While most hourly
employees will not report to work, as part of established School Board Policy
8420, Emergency Closure of Schools, every effort will be made to provide
opportunities to make up the hours not worked during the emergency at a later
time.

With
Spring Break approaching, many employees likely made plans for travel. We
strongly recommend that employees refrain from traveling to areas currently at
Level 3 or Level 2, and defer from cruise ship travel. Should employees choose
to travel against these advisories, they must heed the related guidance
provided by the CDC regarding self-isolation protocols. Travel
advisories and associated guidance continue to evolve as federal, state, and
local entities learn more about COVID-19 and its impact. As such, employees are
encouraged to visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website
regularly.

Employees
enrolled in a District health plan will incur no out-of-pocket costs for
COVID-19 testing, if it is medically necessary.

Other Important Information

Magnet
application notifications, scheduled for March 15, have been postponed. No
application is in jeopardy and there is no action needed by students or parents/guardians
at this time. Once schools have been cleared to open, the notification process
will resume. Parents/guardians may visit http://choice.dadeschools.net/to submit questions to Magnet staff.

Online
curriculum modules have been created for adult education learners. Students can
access lesson plans through their respective school websites.

Miami-Dade
Online Academy, the District's full-time K-12 virtual school, has not been affected
by school closures. Students in this online school should continue working on
their virtual program.

School
sites scheduled to serve as polling sites for Election Day on Tuesday, March 17
will be open to the general public for voting as planned.

While
classes are suspended, construction and facility enhancement projects will
continue on an accelerated timeline. All contractors and vendors have been
directed to follow established CDC coronavirus protocols.

The
District will
continue advocating at the federal level to support students and families by
allowing flexibility to provide meals and providing the means to easily expand their
Internet access.The District is also
advocating for the provision of funding to support the continuity of services
and relief for employees affected by school closures, illness of family or
self, and lost wages. Congress
is now considering H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

In an effort to support
vital health services in South Florida, M-DCPS is working with partners to
assist with the provision of childcare for employees of Jackson Health System
nearJackson’s
three campuses, in the north, central and southern parts of the county, as well
as select employees of the University of
Miami Health System. The childcare centers, located at school sites, will be
sanitized nightly by M-DCPS personnel, and all childcare employees are held to
the same background screening standards and coronavirus protocols as M-DCPS
employees. A healthcare professional will be onsite at each center to assess
each student before they enter the facility. Two District administrators and a
police officer will be present as well.

M-DCPS Support Lines:

District Emergency
Operations hotline: 305-995-3000

To answer questions from students, parents and other community
members about school district-related coronavirus response efforts.

Hours of Operation: M – F from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m

Instructional Learning Plan hotline: 305-995-HELP

To support students, parents and teachers in engaging in distance
learning.

Provides the M-DCPS framework for distance learning
for pre-K-12 students.

The
District will continue to monitor all developments in this evolving situation
and will communicate via the links above, as well as through automated
messaging, media announcements and social media.

Resources

Mission Statement

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ (M-DCPS) Office of Communications (OOC) is committed to the timely and accurate dissemination of information that highlights the school districts programs, initiatives, and achievements to reinforce awareness among internal and external stakeholders. We pursue this mission through targeted messaging, integrated marketing, social media, and public relations activities that inform and educate parents, students, employees, and all stakeholders of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.